Nailing machine



Jams, 1968 E, R ANSTETT 3,362,602

K NAILING MACHINE 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 `Filed Feb. 28, 1956 Jan. 9,1968 E.P. ANSTETT 3,362,602

NILING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /yf l O f7k nsea i;mji/wglyjyy United States Patent O 3,362,602 NAILING MACHINE Edgar P.Anstett, Highland Park, lll., assignor to Powernails, Inc., PrairieView, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No.530,285 10 Claims. (Cl. 227-156) This invention is directed t a nailingmachine for separating individual nails from a strip of nails anddriving same, which machine is of the general kind disclosed in my priorPatents Nos. 2,5 80,065 and 2,822,544.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a nailing machineof this general kind with an improved compressed air return mechanismfor a plunger which is struck by a mallet or hammer or the like to drivea blade that in turn separates a single nail from the strip of nails anddrives the nail to eifect a desired nailing operation and, also, provideimproved apparatus for compressing air and apparatus for retaining andreleasing air used to operate the return mechanism.

Briefly, the nailing machine of this invention includes severalcomponents substantially similar to those shown in the above-mentionedpatents, and further includes an air return mechanism in the form of amovable plunger or cylinder, a stationary rod serving as a piston and anair seal therebetween permitting relative movement thereof, whichmechanism is actu-ated by compressed air. The rod nests at leastpartially within the plunger or cylinder of the nailing machine. Theinvention further includes an improved pump having only a few parts andbeing a compact size readily carried in an artisans pocket for supplyingcompressed air to the nailing machine. Commercially available tirevalves may be used in the nailing machine to reta-in the compressed airtherein, and the tire valve is laccessible for movement of the stemthereof by a nail or the likeV to permit escape of the compressed airtherefrom. Such construction eliminates springs which have previouslybeen used and which have been subject to fatigue and breakage, providesan yimproved mechanism which permits ready movement of t-he plunger whenstruck and positive return of `the plunger, and avails a minimumdimension for the nailing machine when not being used whereby the samerequires less space in a tool box, shipping carton, or the like.

Further objects of this invention reside in details of construction ofthe mechanism and apparatus separately and collectively and in thecooperative relationship between the component parts thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanyingspecification, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with parts in section to show detailsof construction and showing the plunger in retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a partial view similar to the left-hand side of FIG. 1 showingthe plunger in extended position under the inuence of compressed air;

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view of an air Seal gasket such as used inFIGS. 1 and 2 in both the plunger return mechanism and the aircompressor pump;

FIG. 4 is a partial view in elevation showing a modication of thenailing machine for nailing at an angle as in flooring and the like; and

3,362,602 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 ICS FIG. 5 is an end elevational viewtaken generally on line 5 5 of FIG. 4.

The nailing machine of this invention is generally designated at 10 inFIG. l and consists of a pair of generally identical, but opposite hand,complementary halves 11 and 12, with the nearest half 11 shown brokenaway to expose a mating surface 13 of the more distant half 12. rPhehalves 11 and 12 are secured together as by rivets or the like, notshown. In this embodiment of the invention, each of the halves 11 and 12has a fiat bottom 14 adapted to engage a at surface such as sub-ooring,for example, through which nails 15 are driven one at a time by the end16 of a blade 18 wit-hin an end plate 19. The end 16 isshown in itslowermost position, in which position it slightly countersinks each oftops 20 of the nails 15 below the surface engaged by the bottom surfaces14 of the halves 11 and 12. The lower position of the blade 18 is guidedin a bolstering groove structure, not shown, internally of the end plate19.

The heads 20 of the nails 15 may be inverted L-shaped, shown also indotted lines of FIG. 5, which heads ride in a channel internal of themating half 11 of the nailing machine 10 forming a magazine for a stripof nails 15 which are suitably adhered together in manufacture. A feedbar 21 has a flange 22 also riding the channel, not shown, internally ofthe half 11. The end of the feed bar 21 has a tab 23 engaged by a hook24 connected to and biased by a spring 25 toward the left as viewed inFIG. 1 for applying pressure on the feed bar 21 for feeding the strip ofnails 15. The spring 25 is suitably housed in a shield 26 secured to thehalf 11 by suitable screws 27. The left-hand end 28 of the spring 25 ishooked through a hole 29 at the side of the shield 26. A suitable stop,not shown, for the feed bar 21 is provided so that the lefthand end 30of the feed bar 21 will be stopped prior to coming into registry beneaththe end 16 of the blade 18. Structure such as described briey above isdisclosed in more detail in the above-mentioned patents.

The above-mentioned patents each discloses spring biased return meansfor the blade that drives the individual nails, corresponding to theblade 18 of the present invention. Such springs render a normal positionfor the -driving bla-de and plunger completely upward, such as theposition illustrated in FIG. 2 of this invention. Contrary to this, theblade and plunger of this invention have a normal position as shown inFIG. 1 with the blade 18 and plunger in the lowermost position, whichnormal position is compact requiring minimum of storage and/ or shippingspace.

The compressed air blade return of this invention is shown in section inFIGS. 1 and 2, with FIG. l showing the bottom 16 of the blade 1S in itslowermost position and FIG. 2 showing the same in the uppermostposition. The blade 18 is carried in a groove along the left-hand sideof a generally square plunger 32, in general the same manner as taughtin the aboveementioned patents. An upper end 33 of the blade 1S abutsthe bottom of a shoulder 34 of a button head generally indicated at 35forming the top of the plunger 32. A resilient buffer 36, that may be ofa reasonably high durometer rubber-like compound, is shaped by agenerally square inner perfora. tion 38 to secure the upper end 33 ofthe blade 18 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The top 39 of thebutton head 35 is adapted to be struck by a resilient headed mallet ormaul for driving a nail engaged by the end 16 of the blade 18. lf anartisan desires to use a hard headed hammer for driving the nails, asuitably resilient cap 39 can be snapped over the end 39 of the buttonhead 35.

The plunger 32 is of rectangular exterior in crosssection and is freelymovable axially in a rectangular hole 40 formed by companion slots inthe complementary halves 11 and 12, which slots terminate in a bottomabutment surface 40 to be described more fully below. The plunger 32 isdriven down to the position shown in FIG. l from the position shown inFIG. 2. 'Upward motion of the plunger 32 is limited by a milled groove41 having a bottom end surface 42 which engages the periphery of a roll43 carried on a pin 44 that passes transversely through the two halves11 and 12 and is suitably secured by a cotter key 45, shown in FIG. 4,to permit ready removal of the plunger 32 and blade 18 such as formaking replacement of parts. Suitable cavities 46 are provided in eachof the halves 11 and 12 of the nailing machine 10 to accommodate andlimit sidewise movement of the roller 43 when the nailing machine 10 isin use.

The compressed air return structure includes a bored cylinder 48 in theplunger 32 extending upardly from the bottom end 32' thereof to a closedend 49 in the button head 35. The cylinder 48 may conveniently beritle-bored to assure straightness of bore. As will appear below, closetolerances are not required, although a reasonably smooth surface finishof the cylinder 48 is desirable. A cylindrical rod 50 may convenientlybe cut ntf from round rod stock with the mill iinish surface left on theexterior thereof.

If a liner iinish is desired the rod 50 can be centerless groundconveniently, or otherwise suitably surface rinished. An upper end 51 ofthe rod 50 is positioned, preferably a distance corresponding to atleast two rod 50 diameters with the parts in the position shown in FIG.2. The lower end 52 of the rod 58 abuts the surface 40 whereupon itexerts force caused by pressure of compressed air. The upper and lowerends 51 and 52 of the rod 50 are identical and are shown as chamfered soeither end of same can be introduced readily into the cylinder 48 past aresilient sealing gasket 54 which is fitted in a radial recess 55internal of the lower end 32 of the plunger 32..

The sealing gasket 54 is generally U-shaped cross-sectionally as bestillustrated in FIG. 3. It is to be noted that an internal lip 56 and anexternal lip 5-7 of the gasket 54 iiare away from each other so that theinternal lip 56 will have an interference t with the exterior of the rod50 and the external lip 57 will have an interference iit with the majordiameter of the recess 55 in the plunger 32. Air pressure within thecylinder 48 will bear upon and increase the flaring action of the lips56 and 57 to provide an air-tight and leak-proof seal which will stillpermit free relative movement of the rod 5t) in the cylinder 48. Thesealing gasket 54 may be made of suitable resilient plastic materialhaving a low coetiicient of surface friction to enhance this attributeof the invention.

A chamber 58 is provided by the difference in elongate `dimensions ofthe rod 50 and the cylinder 48, which chamber 58 is adapted to receive acharge of compressed air. The button head 35 is cross drilled andsuitably tapped at 59 to receive a bicycle tire valve core 60. The tirevalve core 60 may be one of several commercially available kinds such asthat made by Bridgeport Brass Company, No. 790S; Schroeder Valve, No.8500V; or Milton Manufacturing Company, No. 405. Of course, othersuitable valves having operating characteristics of tire valve cores mayalso be used in the plunger return mechanism. The tire valve core 60 issuitably inserted well within the tapped hole 59 to prevent accidentaldischarge of air.

However, it is an important attribute of this invention that a nail orthe like can be used to depress the stern of the valve core 60 forexhausting air from the chamber 58 to deflate the plunger mechanism tothe position shown in FIG. 1 thereby providing minimum size for theequipment when not in use or for being shipped in cartons or the like.

A conveniently portable pump 62 is generally indicated by the referencecharacter 62. However, even with the compact size desired to enable anartisan to carry the same around in a pocket, the volumetric capacity ofthe pump `62 is approximately three or four times the capacity of thechamber 58 in its extended position, in its maximum size dimensionsillustrated in FIG. 2.

The pump 62 comprises a barrel 63 formed as a generally tubular sleevepreferably made of thin-Wall tubular stock or the like. The left-handend 64 of the barrel 63 is gathered to secure a plastic pump seal 65which in turn secures a connector spud 66. The spud 66 is externallythreaded at 67 to screw into the tapped hole 59 to the extent that theplastic seal `65 engages the side surface 68 in air sealing relationshipwith the cross drilled side of the button head 35. The spud 66 iscentrally apertured by a hole '70 which is sized large enough to extendover the valve stem of the valve core 60.

The right-hand end of the barrel 63 is formed in a peripheral bead 72which provides an interior cam surface 73 for a purpose to be describedhereinbelow. In addition, the bead 7 2 acts as a stop for a ring shapedplastic shoulder 74 which is frictionally carried by the barrel andwhich may be engaged by the first and second ingers of an operator toaid in the pumping operation to be described more fully below.

A piston for the pump 62 is generally indicated by the referencecharacter 75. The piston 75 may lbe suitably molded or machined fromplastic stock and c-omprises a plunger 76, an enlarged head 77 adaptedto be engaged by a users thumb or the ball of the hand, and an annulargasket retaining recess 78 adjacent the left-hand end thereof. A sealinggasket 79, of substantially the same con struction and shape as thegasket 54 of FIG. 3, but of different size, is arranged to tit into theannular recess 78. The internal lip of the gasket engages the peripheralsurface of the annular recess 78 in air sealing relationship therewith.The external lip of the sealing gasket 79 is adapted to engage upon andslide within the cam surface 73 and be squeezed inwardly thereby, to thesealing position shown at 79 in dotted lines, when the knob 77 is movedtoward the dotted line position 77' wherein about half of a pumpingstroke will have been made.

With the parts of the compressed air return mechanism of the nailingmachine 10 in the not-in-use position shown in FIG. 1, the followingprocedure is suggested:

Step 1: Cheek the valve core to assure that the core is in properoperating condition. Step 2: Screw the spud 66 fully into the threads 59to seal the plastic seal 65 of the pump 62 against the side 68 of thebutton head 35. Step 3: Pull the air pump piston 75 completely out ofthe cylinder to approximately the position shown in full lines inFIG. 1. Step 4: Push the plunger back into the cylinder the full depthand apply pressure as by the fingers and ball of the hand spanning theshoulder 74 and the head 77 respectively. Such pressure will cause thevalve in the tire valve 60 to open and the charge of air to pass fromthe interior of the pump 62 through the aperture 70 into the chamber 58.The air under pressure will be sealed in the chamber 58 by the valve 60and cause the plunger 32 to rise from the position shown in FIG. 1.Steps 5 et seq.: Repeat steps 3 and 4, above, tive or six times bypulling the piston 75 completely out of the barrel 62 and reinsertingsame and exerting pressure. Compressed air introduced into the chamber58 will cause the plunger 32 to rise to the position shown in FIG. 2 andstay there with the stop surface 42 at the bottom of the groove 41 inengagement with the periphery of the roller 43.

In the upper position of the plunger 32 the heads 20 of the nails 1Swill pass successively one after another beneath the end 16 of thedriving blade 18 so that the force of a mallet or hammer struck againstthe button Ihead top 39 will cause the end 16 to descend, engage a head20 of a nail, separate same from the strip of nails 15, and drive sameinto flooring or the like, not shown. Upon retraction of the end 16 tothe position shown in FIG. 2, a succeeding nail will Ibe fed into theposition illustrated in FIG. 2 to present a succeeding nail head 20 tothe end 16 for the succeeding operation.

The air in the chamber 58 will remain under substantially thecompression charged therein by the five or six strokes through thecomplete stroke of the piston 76 in the barrel 62 of the pump. It hasbeen found that the nailing machine need be charged -only once a day fornormal operations. In the event leaks should occur, the tire valve 60can be readily replaced in known manner. In addition, the sealing gasket54 can be readily replaced by partial disassembly of the nailing machineto remove the plunger 32 whereupon the rod 50 can be withdrawn and thegasket 54 removed by a suitable hook and replaced and reassembled intothe nailing machine.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side and front views respectively of an embodiment ofthe invention for installing ooring or the like by driving nails at anangle with respect to the flooring. Like reference characters refer tolike or Igenerally identical parts and the description of the parts willnot be repeated. The modification of FIGS. 4 and 5 differs mainly inthat the opposite hand halves 11 and 12 have complementary bottomextensions 111', only one being shown. The bottom extensions 111 securea plate 90 at generally 45 degrees with respect to the direction ofmotion of the blade 18 driving the nails 15, FIG. 5. This modificationof the invention is also equipped with a compressed air return withinthe plunger 32 supplied through a tap opening 59. The details ofconstruction of the air return mechanism are not illustrated, beingidentical to those described above in connection with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

While for the purpose of illustration one form of this invention hasbeen disclose-d, other forms thereof may Ibecome apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore,this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a nailing machine having means for feeding a strip of nails, areciprocatable blade for separating individual nails from said strip ofnails and driving the same and an outwardly extending reciprocatafbleplunger carrying said blade and adapted to be manually struck inwardlyfor operating said 'blade to drive the nails, a compressed air returnmechanism for said plunger for outwardly returning said ,plunger afterit has been manually struck inwardly comprising, an axially extendingbore in said reciprocatelble plunger having a closed outer end and anopen inner end and forming a movable cylinder, a normally stationaryelongated rod extending into the bore of the plunger through its openend and forming a variable Ivolume air chamber in the movable cylinder,an air sealing gasket between said bore and said rod for sealing saidvariable volume air chamber, and means for supplying compressed air intosaid variable volume air chamber to establish a resilient force foroutwardly urging said plunger to effect outward return movement thereofafter being manually struck inwardly.

2. A nailing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said reciprocatableplunger and blade are longitudinally outwardly removable from thenailing machine, and including releasable sto-p means for limiting theoutward movement of said plunger.

3. A nailing machine as defined in claim l wherein said elongated rod ismovable and longitudinally guided by the axial bore of the plunger, andincluding an abutment engageable by said rod under the influence of thecompressed air in the variable volume .air chamber for no1'- 6 mallymaintaining said rod stationary during nailing operations.

4. A nailing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated rod aswell as said reciprocatable plunger and blade are longitudinallyoutwardly removable from the nailing machine.

5. A nailing machine as defined in claim 1 which includes means forexhausting compressed air from said variable volume chamber to allowsaid plunger to move inwardly and remain in an inward position.

6. A nailing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said means forsupplying compressed air into said variable volume chamber includes anopening in said plunger communicating with said variable volume chamber,a tire valve having an outwardly directed stem secured in said openingfor normally sealing said variable volume chamber against escape of airtherefrom, a pump adapted to be detachably secured in said opening forcompressing air and supplying the compressed air through said tire valveinto said variable volume chamber, said stem of said tire valve beingmanually manipulatable when said pump is removed from said opening forexhausting compressed air from said variable volume chamber to allowsaid plunger to move inwardly and remain in an inward position.

7. A nailing machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said pump includes atubular sleeve, an apertured connector secured to one end ofthe tubularsleeve and having means for detachably securing the same in said openingin said plunger, the other end of said sleeve being outwardly flared toform a tapered inlet, an elongated piston adapted to be freely receivedthrough the tapered inlet and longitudinally moved in said tubularsleeve, a resilient air seal gasket carried by said piston adjacent theinner end thereof and having a free outer diameter greater than theinterior diameter of said ared end of the tubular sleeve, the inner endof said piston carrying said resilient sealing gasket being withdrawnfrom and inserted into said tubular sleeve through the [dared endthereof to effect pumping operation of the pump, said resilient sealinggasket being peripherally compressed by said flared end of said tubularsleeve upon being inserted therein, said tubular sleeve and piston beingsized to attain an air pressure in said pump when said piston ismanually manipulated which is suiiicient to open said tire valve andsupply compressed air to said variable volume chamber.

8. A nailing machine as defined in claim 7, including a hand engageablefirst grip member on said tubular sleeve adjacent said tapered inlet endthereof, and a hand engageable second grip member on the outer end ofsaid piston, said first and second grip members being so spaced apart tofacilitate one-hand squeezing thereof toward each other to effectcompression of air in said pump.

9. In a machine using compressed air and having a compressed airchamber, an opening communicating with said chamber, a tire valve insaid opening for sealing the same against escape of air from saidchamber, a pump for supplying compressed air through said tire valve andopening into said chamber comprising, a tubular sleeve, an aperturedconnector secured to one end of the tubular sleeve and having means fordetachably securing the same in said opening, the other end of saidsleeve being outwardly ared to form a tapered inlet, an elongated pistonadapted to be freely received through the tapered inlet andlongitudinally moved in said tubular sleeve, a resilient air seal gasketcarried by said piston adjacent the inner end thereof and having a freeouter diameter greater than the interior diameter of said tubular sleevebut less than the diameter of said ared end of the tubular sleeve, theinner end of said piston carrying said resilient sealing gasket beingwithdrawn from and inserted into said tubular sleeve through the flaredend thereof to effect pumping operation of the pump, said resilientsealing gasket being peripherally compressed by said flared end of saidtubular sleeve upon being inserted therein, said tubular sleeve andpiston being sized to attain an air pressure in said pump when saidpiston is manually manipulated which is suicient to open said tire valveand supply compressed air to said chamber.

10. A machine as defined in claim 9, including a hand engageable rstgrip member on said tubular sleeve adjacent said tapered inlet endthereof, and a hand engageable second grip member on the outer end ofsaid piston, said rst and second grip members being so spaced apart tofacilitate one-hand squeezing thereof toward each other to effectcompression of air in said pump.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Chellis 227--130 XR Anstett227--147 XR Goldring et a1. 227-130 XR Juilfs 227-130 Powers et al227--130 XR GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, I R., Primary Examiner.

1. IN A NAILING MACHINE HAVING MEANS FOR FEEDING A STRIP OF NAILS, ARECIPROCATABLE BLADE FOR SEPARATING INDIVIDUAL NAILS FROM SAID STRIP OFNAILS AND DRIVING THE SAME AND AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING RECIPROCATABLEPLUNGER CARRYING SAID BLADE AND ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY STRUCK INWARDLYFOR OPERATING SAID BLADE TO DRIVE THE NAILS, A COMPRESSED AIR RETURNMECHANISM FOR SAID PLUNGER FOR OUTWARDLY RETURNING SAID PLUNGER AFTER ITHAS BEEN MANUALLY STRUCK INWARDLY COMPRISING, AN AXIALLY EXTENDING BOREIN SAID RECIPROCATABLE PLUNGER HAVING A CLOSED OUTER END AND AN OPENINNER END AND FORMING A MOVABLE CYLINDER, A NORMALLY STATIONARYELONGATED ROD EXTENDING INTO THE BORE OF THE PLUNGER THROUGH ITS OPENEND AND FORMING A VARIABLE VOLUME AIR CHAMBER IN THE MOVABLE CYLINDER,AN AIR SEALING GASKET BETWEEN SAID BORE AND SAID ROD FOR SEALING SAIDVARIABLE VOLUME AIR CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING COMPRESSED AIR INTOSAID VARIABLE VOLUME AIR CHAMBER TO ESTABLIH A RESILIENT FORCE FOROUTWARDLY URGING SAID PLUNGER TO EFFECT OUTWARD RETURN MOVEMENT THEREOFAFTER BEING MANUALLY STRUCK INWARDLY.